This she could do and it must be
done now, without hesitation or delay. She could not prevent the
shipwrecks; she could, perhaps, save the life of this one who had felt
the fury of the storm. It was not Hope Farwell's way to theorize about
the causes of the wreck, or to speculate as to the value of inventions
for making more efficient the life-saving service, when there was a
definite, immediate, personal something to be done for the bit of life
that so closely touched her own.
There was no doubt in the nurse's mind now but that the girl would live
and regain her health. But what then? The people would see that she was
cared for as long as she was sick. Who among them would give her a place
when she was no longer an object of ostentatious charity? Her very
attempted suicide would mark her in the community more strongly than
ever, and she would be met on every hand by suspicion, distrust and
cruel curiosity. Then, indeed, she would need a friend--someone to
believe in her and to love her. Of what use to save the life tossed up
by the storm, only to set it adrift again? As Miss Farwell meditated in
the twilight the conviction grew that her responsibility could end only
when the life was safe.
It is, after all, a little thing to save a life; it is a great thing to
make it safe. Indeed, in a larger, sense a life is never saved until it
is safe.
When Dr. Harry called, later in the evening as he had promised, he handed
the nurse an envelope.
Pages:
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163